Regulations of 1638

(Regulations of the Zaporozh’e Registered Troops), a decree issued by the Polish Sejm (parliament) in January 1638, one month after the defeat of the peasant and cossack uprising led by P. But. The Regulations of 1638 limited the privileges of the registered cossacks, abolished the office of hetman, and ended the election of esauls (assistants to the hetmans) and colonels. According to the Regulations, registered cossacks were to be supervised by a commissioner appointed by the Polish Sejm. The commissioner was given juridical authority and was charged with swiftly crushing any manifestations of cossack insubordination. Esauls and colonels were replaced by men appointed by the Polish authorities, selected exclusively from the Polish nobility. The number of registered cossacks was reduced from 8,000 to 6,000 men in six regiments stationed in Cherkassy, Kanev, and Korsun’ starostwos (administrative districts). The regiments were to take turns at garrison duty in the Zaporozh’e Army Region, where they were ordered to disperse “unruly mobs gathering on the islands and along the rivers.” The Regulations were ratified by representatives of the registered cossacks in December 1638.